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I know very little about CB/Ham radio stuff... I want to prepare for the coming madness.

Can someone just fast track me to a good radio for a shtf scenario?

I know very little about CB/Ham radio stuff... I want to prepare for the coming madness. Can someone just fast track me to a good radio for a shtf scenario?

(post is archived)

[–] • 2 pts (edited )

If you want a cheap radio, the Baofeng/Wouxun Chinese radios are good. You can get several for a few hundred, and batteries are cheap. I have several, they're good to throw in a bag and if you drop it break lose it no biggie it was $45.

2 units of Baofeng UV-5R are about $50 on fleebay. Only real problem with chinesium radios is they can splatter across other useful stuff like the weather band.

If you want a radio you can drop 2 stories and have it still work, get something like a Yaesu FT60R.

[–] • 1 pt

They are also really easy to program with chirp. Don't forget to buy the cable!

[–] • 0 pt

Yes. Chirp has no issues with them.

[–] • 1 pt

Thanks man I grabbed that yaesu. By once cry once right??

[–] • 0 pt

I've had good luck with mine. It's seen some decent use.

[–] • 0 pt

The FT60 is cheap. It should be like $150-$160.

Try buying a Motorola or KNG. Those are anywhere from $1800 to $2500.

[–] • 0 pt

I wonder if the cheaper units offer encrypted channels, or you can be listened on by anyone in the vicinity.

[–] • 1 pt

Anything on the ham bands will not do encryption. Encryption on ham radio is illegals so the radios don’t do it. lol ther bands may be able to. But the GMRS “privacy” tones are marketing. Anyone can hear you.